Monday 17 June
There was a break in the weather today, the rain stopped long enough for some work to be done. The water level in Culvert 11A has dropped significantly making it a bit easier to work, the south wall is well above the flow. Another landmark today was the arrival of a welfare cabin; before all the comments start flying around, it's a legal requirement to provide welfare facilities on site, there's no getting round it without risking a fine or worse. Admittedly, it is much more civilised for shelter from the weather than all cramming into the truck 😏
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| Cabin delivered by Welfare4Hire |
Carley, from Welfare4Hire skilfully negotiated the slalom onto the hard-standing to position the cabin in line with the morning sun. We may need to pave the patio area next 🤭
There was another sand and brick delivery first thing, luckily Alastair spotted the wagon waiting at the gate on his way in so he opened up for the unloading.
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| More sand and bricks, that's going to keep us busy |
Roger continued with the south wall build. As this wall is now straight, it's highlighting flaws in the north wall.
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| Backbreaking work |
Nigel and Stuart took on the challenge of uncovering the inlet pipe. After much consideration, we have deduced that this is not the original GWR culvert inlet 🙂
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| Nigel uncovering another lump of concrete |
Dave took charge of the brick cleaning station, it's a key job as the bricks are going straight back into the facing on the south wall
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Dave hard at work
(Photo: Alastair) |
At morning break, the gang took time out to test the facilities in the welfare cabin, all we need now is pack of cards and television.
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| Luxury! |
Then it was back to the proverbial coalface...
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More headers going on
(Photo: Alastair) |
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Stuart and Nigel digging for gold
(Photo: Alastair) |
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Dave moved over to dig out the gully drain trench
(Photo: Alastair) |
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Next course of recycled stretchers added
(Photo: Alastair) |
The recent high water has done us one favour, the water in the culvert is now running level. The obstructions have been washed out.
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| Culvert 11A brick arch internal (down to up side) |
The excavation around the inlet pipe has allowed us to re-route the water from the down cess. It's now channelled under the twinwall pipe away from the wing wall foundations.
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| Inlet pipe exposed |
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| Roger on the bricks, Alastair digging out the gully trench |
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| Down side cess running in under the twinwall |
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| Supervision is key |
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| Gully pipe removed to clear the trench |
Roger is not in on Thursday so he built the pattern for the next 3 courses ready for Michael. It may be proved that he was being a touch ambitious expecting all this to get done 🙃
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| Pattern for the remaining courses |
There was a question on the last edition about taper bricks; these are used to build round an arch, they are thinner along one side so that they form a circle (as below). They are produced in 4 sizes for different diameter structures. The culvert has a mix of tapers and straight solids to form the 24" arch. The channel is just like the arch but upside down.
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| Brick Arch, taper bricks form the shape |
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The end of the north wall
mix of straight and taper bricks |
Good progress today, with the forecast looking promising for Thursday we hope to get even more done.
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| Culvert 11A down side |
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| Culvert 11A up side |
Looking better already! The shot of the brick-cleaning is interesting, it shows how much the sidewall leans in, and how they then used an uneven mortar layer to get the headers level.
ReplyDeleteWill you all be reinstating the arch, or just leaving it open on top and build up the sides?
Great progress!
Noel
The plan is to rebuild the arch, it ran for about a metre further than the current end, is was open brick channel along the wing walls, so we will just raise the level
DeleteStuart
Thanks for explaining about the tapers, I was trying to envisage them along the exposed culvert wall. You should be announcing a grand completion event when all of us armchair critics can meet and buy you all a few drinks.
ReplyDeleteI was on the trains yesterday 18th, but didn't notice the welfare cabin, I suppose the object is to take it to wherever you are working.
Powli Wilson.
And return it at the end of the day.
ReplyDeleteGreat to see you enjoying the Welfare unit! Carley Welfare4hire
ReplyDeleteVery nice work there, now I have the paving slabs, if someone can supply the sand we can get the patio laid. This could be a good spot for watching the trains!
ReplyDeleteActualy though well done in this recent bad weather, as a layman about drains, why not have just replaced the whole lot with a piece of that twinwall pipe or have I missed something?
Regards
Paul & Marion
We could have done that, but it's not the same as rebuilding what was originally in place. I suppose it's preserving the heritage of the line and it's visible from the train if you know where to look :-)
DeleteStuart
Brick cleaning.
ReplyDeleteIt's been a few years since but, when I was involved at Broadway, I found a 9" angle grinder with a Diamond blade worked wonders.
Place the brick against a 'stop'. Clean one face. Turn over. Clean other face. Perhaps a minute or so for both sides.
Simples.
This mortar chips off fairly easily, so it's possibly just as quick to knock it off
Delete